Are you thinking of moving to Greenwich, Connecticut? We asked Greenwich residents to find out why they moved to Greenwich and why they love living in Greenwich. Here are 10 reasons to move to Greenwich, Connecticut.
Want to know how much it costs to live in Greenwich, CT? Check out our Greenwich Cost of Living Calculator
10 Reasons to Move to Greenwich, CT
1. Greenwich has Low Property Taxes
One of the main reasons why we moved to Greenwich is the low property taxes. Greenwich has one of the lowest property taxes in Fairfield County. Plus if you compare Greenwich property taxes to neighboring Westchester County, you will be amazed at how low Greenwich property taxes are!
Greenwich has one of the lowest property taxes in Fairfield County because it has one of the lowest mill rates. And if you compare Greenwich to neighboring Westchester County towns, the gap in property taxes is considerable. For example, if you compare the property tax of a $1 million home in Scarsdale, NY versus the property tax of a $1 million dollar home in Greenwich, Greenwich property taxes are significantly lower. The real estate tax for a $1.0 million home in Greenwich ranges between $7,500-$9,500 per year while property taxes for a $1.0 million home in Scarsdale ranges between $23,500-$30,000. The difference is significant!
When we were looking at homes in Greenwich and Westchester County. When we found out there was a huge difference in property taxes, the decision to move to Greenwich became obvious to us. We knew we were crazy not to move to Greenwich!
Greenwich Resident
Want to know how Connecticut Property Taxes are calculated? Check out our article: How to Calculate Property Taxes in Greenwich.
2. Greenwich is very near New York City (45 minutes away)
Most people have the impression that Greenwich is far from NYC because it’s in Connecticut. However, that’s a common misconception. In fact, Greenwich is only 45 minutes away from NYC. It’s a 45 minute train ride from Greenwich to New York’s Grand Central on the Metro-North express trains. Lots of people who live in Greenwich commute to Manhattan for work. It’s a very doable, easy commute.
In fact, by living in Greenwich, you have the option of not only one Metro North train station- but you have four Metro North stations to choose from, plus you are not far away from the Westchester stations either! It’s so convenient to live in Greenwich when you are commuting to NYC.
Driving from Greenwich to Manhattan is also very convenient. The drive from downtown Greenwich to Midtown Manhattan is only an hour and 7 minutes. It’s an easy drive down I-95 South. Or you can always catch an Uber into the city.
We live in the Byram section of Greenwich, my husband catches the train from the Greenwich station and if he is running late, he’d catch the train from the Port Chester station. Living in Greenwich is very convenient if you plan to take the train into New York City, wherever you live in Greenwich, you are never far from a station.
Greenwich Resident
3. Beautiful Greenwich Beaches and Private Islands
The Greenwich beaches are one of the main reasons why people move to Greenwich. Greenwich residents are lucky, they have access to not just one beach but two beaches and two islands! Can you believe Greenwich residents have their own private islands? And because the beaches and islands are private, it’s never crowded at the beach! Sure, non-residents can buy day passes and parking passes but it’s expensive and not easy to buy so usually there are only Greenwich residents at the beach.
The two beaches in Greenwich are Greenwich Point Park (also called Tod’s Point) and Byram Beach. Great Captain Island and Island Beach are the Town of Greenwich islands.
Greenwich Point Park is a local favorite in Greenwich. The locals call Greenwich Point Park- Tod’s Point. Tod’s Point is a beautiful beach located in the Old Greenwich section of town. It’s easy to spend the day at the beach, lounging, biking or kayaking. There is a lot to do at Tod’s point. There is a bike trail. You can rent kayaks and paddle boards at Greenwich Community Sailing. You can take the kids to check out the touch tank at the Bruce Museum Seaside Center. The Bruce Museum Seaside Center runs daily activities like fish feeding, fish seining.
My kids love fish seining and learning about the types of fish that was caught. In the summer months, we spend our weekends at the beach. I love to see the kids play with other kids at the beach, catching hermit crabs, building sandcastles, running to the concession stand for ice cream. I also love that I usually bump into someone I know- a neighbor, parents from school or someone I know from town. It’s one big playdate for everyone! Even on weekdays, it is common to see families enjoying the beach with a picnic dinner or dinner at the patio overlooking Long Island Sound. I love seeing the dads in their business casual attire, join their families after work for a pizza dinner at the beach. You just can’t beat the lifestyle of being so close to the beach and yet only 45 minutes away from New York City.
Greenwich Resident
Byram Beach is another Greenwich beach located in the Byram section of Greenwich. The beach is smaller than the beach at Greenwich Point Park but it has an amazing pool. The town and the Junior League of Greenwich raised $6.8 million to build the Greenwich town pool. Greenwich residents are lucky to have such a beautiful pool with amazing views of Long Island Sound. The Greenwich town pool is big, consisting of two pools (kiddie and a zero-entry lap pool), a splash pad, a concession stand, bathrooms and lockers. Aside from the pool and the beach, Greenwich residents can enjoy the playground at Byram Beach (it has amazing Long Island Sound views), tennis courts and marina. If you are a boating enthusiast, you can even join the Byram Shore Boat Club.
Aside from the beaches, Greenwich residents also have access to two private islands- Great Captain Island and Island Beach. The town of Greenwich runs a daily ferry service to Island Beach during the summer months. It is always a treat to get on the ferry to Island Beach. The experience always feels like you are going on a mini-vacation yet you are only minutes from downtown Greenwich. You can easily spend the day at Island Beach, enjoying the beautiful beach, playground, grills, picnic tables, and concession stand. Great Captain Island is another private island for Greenwich residents. The town of Greenwich runs a ferry service to Great Captain Island. It is less developed than Island Beach and lacks a concession stand.
Aside from hopping on a ferry and spending the day at the private Greenwich islands, you can get overnight camping permits at these private islands. Families apply for overnight camping permits and they spend the night camping. It is old-fashioned fun and always a blast!
4. Greenwich has Excellent Schools
One of the reasons why families move to Greenwich is for the public schools. Greenwich Public schools are highly rated. Greenwich School district is always ranked as one of the best school districts in Connecticut.
There are 11 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 1 high school in Greenwich. Many of these schools are award-winning magnet schools.
Greenwich is also home to some of the top private schools in Connecticut. Top Connecticut private schools located in Greenwich are Greenwich Academy, Brunswick School, Whitby, and Greenwich Country Day School. Greenwich is also 15 minutes away from one of the best private schools in the country, Rye Country Day School. Plus, for a town of only 60,000 people, Greenwich residents have many preschools to choose from. Greenwich is home to Mencius Mandarin Preschool, the only Chinese Language Immersion Preschool in Fairfield County.
If you are looking into preschools in Greenwich. Check out my Insider’s Guide to Greenwich Preschools.
5. Greenwich is a Family Friendly Town
Another reason why locals love Greenwich is that it is truly a family-friendly town. If you have kids, you will never get bored living in Greenwich! In fact, the opposite can happen. If you let it, your calendar will be filled with family activities in Greenwich.
There is always something to do in Greenwich. You will find a lot of programs and activities for families. The town offers many recreational sports. My kids learned to ice skate through the town’s Ice Skating clinics at the Dorothy Hamill Rink in Byram. You will love Dorothy Hamill Rink, it is the Town of Greenwich indoor ice skating rink, so it’s never crowded! In the Spring, my kids participate in town softball and baseball programs. There are also field hockey programs, basketball, fencing, dance, soccer- something for every kid! You will have no problem finding activities for your kids!
On the weekends, there is usually a family event to attend to in Greenwich. One of my favorite Greenwich family events is the Greenwich Reindeer Festival where kids can visit Santa and his reindeers (they actually bring in real-life reindeers).
In the Summer, there is a plethora of summer camp options for kids. You can choose from private summer camp offerings as well as summer camps in the Town of Greenwich. The Sand Piper beach camp is a favorite town camp where kids spend lazy summer days at the beach in Greenwich Point Park doing activities such as nature walks, crabbing and old-fashioned arts and crafts. Children as young as 3 years old can participate in the Sand Piper beach camp. There is also a good Music, Art, and Dance camp offered by the town at Greenwich High School. Plus the Town of Greenwich offers Kamp Kairphree, which is your traditional full-day summer camp program complete with school bus transportation. It’s convenient for working parents. The best part is these camps are a great value compared to private summer camps!
If you have older kids, Greenwich has its very own Skate Park where kids can come with their skateboards, scooters, BMX bikes and spend a few hours perfecting their tricks and having fun. The Arch Street Teen Center is also a popular spot for older kids hosting events and activities for Greenwich teenagers.
There are so many family-friendly activities in Greenwich!
6. Greenwich has Award Winning Libraries
Greenwich residents are lucky to have four amazing libraries in town. There is Byram Shubert Library, Cos Cob Library, Greenwich Library and Perrot Memorial Library in Old Greenwich. Between the four libraries, Greenwich residents have access to an extensive collection of books, DVDs, CDs and artworks. I think the libraries in Greenwich are comparable to the libraries in Manhattan!
I love borrowing kindle books and audio books from the library. My kids love to spend hours browsing in the Children’s room at the main Greenwich library. There are also a lot of free library programs. Each library has their own children’s programs ranging from Baby Lapsit to Spanish Read-Aloud to Lego Playtime. If you have young children, you can definitely fill up your days attending library programs. I remember taking my kids to baby lapsit programs at the library and meeting other new moms in town. I remember going to Lego Playtime where my kids built lego creations (they got to keep the Lego pieces!) We also attended a lot of Spanish read-aloud classes and Chinese read-aloud classes. Aside from the daily programs, the libraries also offer free children’s programs during vacation weeks.
Greenwich Resident
There are also programs for adults at Greenwich library. Adults can enjoy free lectures, free Friday night movies, Meet the author evenings and free concerts at the library. You will be impressed with the caliber of speakers and authors that come to the library! Greenwich residents are lucky to have access to such an amazing resource right in town.
7. Lots of Recreation in Greenwich
Another reason why locals love Greenwich is no matter what you are interested in most likely you can do it in Greenwich. If you are interested in sports whether it be golfing, biking, boating, shooting, skating, or tennis, you can do it in Greenwich. If you are into art, Greenwich has an award-winning art museum in town!
For golfers, the town of Greenwich has a public golf course, for a minimal fee you can golf at a country club-caliber course! In the winter months, Greenwich residents can ice skate at Dorothy Hamill’s indoor ice skating rink (it’s never crowded!). If you want to ice skate outdoors, there is also an outdoor ice skating rink in town through Greenwich Skating Club. If your kids are into skateboarding, there is a skate park in town for kids and teenagers. There are also plenty of town tennis courts, paddle courts, playgrounds and parks that are open year-round.
For art lovers, you will feel at home at the Bruce Museum. You can even join the various clubs at the Bruce Museums to meet other like-minded art lovers. Greenwich is also home to local museums such as the Greenwich Audubon Center, Greenwich Botanical Center and the Bush Holly House Museum.
If you are looking to join a country club, there are many private country clubs and yacht clubs in Greenwich. If you are into shooting, you can join the Cos Cob Revolver and Rifle Club, a local gun club
The best part is that all of these recreational facilities are for a town of only 60,000 people, so nothing is ever crowded. The Town of Greenwich facilities is clean and well-maintained. The beaches and playgrounds are never crowded. Even the public ice skating sessions are never crowded!
Are you looking into Country Clubs in Greenwich? We asked members to give us the inside scoop. Check out our article: Insider’s Guide to Country Clubs in Greenwich, CT
8. Greenwich has a lot of Restaurants
If you are a foodie, you will be happy living in Greenwich. Greenwich is home to many restaurants offering a wide range of cuisine types. Whether you are craving Thai food, Italian, Tapas, or crepes, there is something for you! There are restaurants in downtown Greenwich, on Sound Beach Avenue in Old Greenwich, and along Putnam Avenue (Route 1). There are quick-service restaurants such as Cava to Asian chains like Tengda to fine dining establishments such as Thomas Henkelmann. In addition to local restaurants, Greenwich is a few minutes from the restaurants in Port Chester, NY, and Stamford, CT.
Are you looking for restaurant recommendations in Greenwich? We asked local Greenwich residents for their favorite restaurants. Here are the 15 Most Recommended Restaurants in Greenwich, CT
9. You don’t have to go to Manhattan to Shop
Greenwich is home to many retail stores and food shops that you’d normally find in Manhattan. Greenwich Avenue is lined with shops that you typically find in Manhattan. There is a Hermes store on Greenwich Avenue, 4 different Saks 5th Avenue stores (main store, shoes, contemporary and jewelry) and boutique stores ranging from Theory to Lilly Pulitzer to Lululemon. It’s convenient living in Greenwich because you don’t have to go to NYC to shop. Plus Greenwich shoppers enjoy the lower Connecticut sales tax!
I love that many of the stores I go to in New York City are also in Greenwich! Why shop in Manhattan, when you can shop on Greenwich Avenue?
Greenwich Resident
Every year, the Greenwich Chamber of Commerce organizes a sidewalk sale in July where there are unbelievable deals. It is such a popular event that Westchester and other Fairfield County residents shop the Greenwich Sidewalk Sale.
Greenwich is also home to several Manhattan food store chains. You will find Citarella and Balducci’s on Putnam Avenue. You really don’t need to go to Manhattan to shop, everything is right in Greenwich!
10. Lots of Events in Greenwich
You can definitely fill up your days and weekends attending events in Greenwich. Greenwich is host to so many events- fundraisers and town events. Probably the most popular event in Greenwich is the Greenwich Town Party. Every summer, residents attend the Greenwich Town Party. It is so popular that tickets sell out within minutes. The town party is a full-day event with bands, children’s activities, and food trucks. Past headliners have included Earth Wind and Fire, Hall and Oates, Steely Dan and Eric Clapton.
In the winter, you can bring the family to see real-life reindeers at the annual Greenwich Reindeer Festival. It is usually held in Sam Bridge Nursery & Greenhouses where you can get your photos taken with Santa, visit the reindeers and shop at the Christmas village.
If you are a foodie, in the summer, you can attend the Greenwich Wine and Food Festival. It’s a great way to spend your day sampling food and drinks from local restaurants, meeting and watching celebrity chefs, and listening to live music. There are also many fundraisers in town, ranging from luncheons to black tie galas to children’s fashion shows all benefiting local non-profit organizations.
Final Thoughts on Why You Should Move to Greenwich, CT
Many of the Greenwich residents we’ve spoken to love living in Greenwich.
I’ve lived in Greenwich for over a decade now and I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather live in. I love how it’s a big enough town to meet like-minded people, yet still small enough to bump into people at Whole Foods or at the beach. Plus, every time I’m at the beach, I’m still pinching myself at how amazing it is that I live so close to the beach and yet I can still be in New York City in 45 minutes! It’s such a great lifestyle to live in Greenwich! If you are still on the fence about moving to Greenwich, CT. Don’t! Greenwich, CT is a great place to live.
Greenwich Resident
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How Much Does It Cost to Live in Greenwich? Check out our Cost of Living Calculator
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If you are looking for more resources about Greenwich (interviews with locals, commute, schools, etc.) We have a Greenwich page.
Do you know we interview locals? Get an inside peek into the lives of Greenwich residents:
Greenwich Mother-Daughter Power Duo: Grace Djuranovic and Cricket Lockhart
A Glimpse in Jordan Rhodes’ Greenwich Life
Junior League of Greenwich President Elizabeth Peyton’s Life in Greenwich, CT
Why Alessandra Messineo Long loves living in Greenwich, CT
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Suburbs 101 is an online lifestyle guide for the New York Suburbs of Westchester County, Long Island, Fairfield County and Northern New Jersey. Get the inside scoop on what it’s really like to live in the New York suburbs through our interviews with local suburbanites and features on Food, Fashion, Home, Travel, and Local Events. Be sure to Follow Us on Instagram, Like Us on Facebook and subscribe to our Monthly Newsletter.
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